Science

Health Inspectors are Enforcing Coronavirus Rules, Can Close Jefferson County Restaurants and Bars That Do Not Comply

The Jefferson County Health Department is using food inspectors to monitor restaurant and bars’ adherence to COVID-19 orders, and they can immediately close establishments that do not comply. "We intend to check every place that serves food," said Jefferson County Health Officer Dr. Mark Wilson. "COVID-19 is not part of food regulations, but we can still take action if we deem a bar or food establishment is a threat to public health." The inspectors can issue an emergency closure order if they see a restaurant or bar violates either county or state emergency orders concerning COVID-19. "We intend to use it, if we need to," Wilson said. First, though, they will try to work with establishment owners or managers to put together a plan to bring the restaurant or bar in compliance with county and state orders. Read more.

by Virginia MacDonald

Williamson: People’s Actions in the Next Two Weeks Critical to Controlling the Future of COVID Infections

People of Alabama can slow the spread of COVID-19 if they will wear masks, socially distance and follow other medical advice over the coming days, the head of the Alabama Hospital Association said Tuesday. Dr. Don Williamson, who previously served as the state health officer, said he is concerned about the way the coronavirus is being transmitted, and he is worried that it has the potential to put a strain on Alabama hospitals. Williamson was the guest of U.S. Sen. Doug Jones on a Facebook Live event Tuesday. “This is one of those rare diseases where we control our future,” he said. “If we over the next 10 days to two weeks will put on masks, will avoid large group gatherings, will maintain six feet of social distance, will wash our hands and do all the things that we’ve talked about … we will make a meaningful difference in the transmission of this virus,” Williamson said. Read more.

by Glenn Stephens

Alabama Records 40 Deaths from COVID-19, the State’s Highest Daily Count

Alabama recorded 40 deaths from COVID-19, the highest one-day increase since the pandemic began in March, according the state Department of Public Health's daily report Tuesday. Mobile County reported seven deaths from the disease, Jefferson County had four and Walker County listed three. The state's death toll reached 1,136, plus 28 that are listed as probably from COVID-19 but as yet unconfirmed. Twenty-two of the 67 counties reported deaths during the 24-hour period covered by the report. The report showed 1,673 new confirmed cases, raising the state's overall total to 56,441, plus 777 cases listed as probably from the disease. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

Residents, Employees at Veterans Nursing Homes Test Positive for COVID-19

At the end of June, after completing a round of testing for the coronavirus at the state’s four veterans homes, the state Department of Veterans Affairs reported that all of the residents at the homes were “virus free.” That is no longer the case. The department reported Monday that after additional testing last week, nine residents and seven employees at the William F. Green State Veterans Home in Bay Minette tested positive for the coronavirus. So have seven employees at the Colonel Robert L. Howard State Veterans Home in Pell City, three at the Floyd “Tut” Fann State Veterans Home in Huntsville and four at the Bill Nichols State Veterans Home in Alexander City. Read more.

by Tom Gordon

UAB-Linked Intranasal Coronavirus Vaccine Heads to Phase 1 Trials

The University of Alabama at Birmingham and Altimmune, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, announced positive results Monday from preclinical studies of a COVID-19 vaccine candidate. Altimmune plans to start its first Phase I safety and immunity tests of the vaccine candidate, called AdCOVID, in humans later this year. The vaccine candidate was tested at UAB in an intranasal spray in mice. Read more.

by Virginia MacDonald

Daily COVID-19 Case Count for Alabama Rises for Third Day in a Row

The number of new cases of COVID-19 in Alabama grew for the third consecutive day Monday, with 1,860 confirmed cases to raise the state's overall total to 54,768. But the number of deaths reported on the Alabama Department of Public Health's COVID-19 Dashboard fell for the third day in a row. The department reported three deaths -- down from 35 deaths on July 10, nine on July 11 and seven on July 12.  Madison County, including Huntsville, had the highest number of new cases in Monday's report with 267 to push its overall total to 2,535. Jefferson County listed 266 cases, raising its total to 7,012, the most in Alabama. Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

Jefferson County Leads the Way as Alabama’s COVID-19 Rate Continues to Rise

Led by Jefferson County, the state posted 1,614 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday, increasing the statewide growth rate for the third consecutive day. Alabama's four most populous counties again had the highest numbers of confirmed new cases as the total number since the pandemic began grew to 52,908, according to the state Department of Public Health's daily update. There were 653 cases shown as probably from the disease but still under study. There were seven deaths for the 24-hour period, including three in Chambers County, which has recorded 30 deaths from COVID-19 overall. Statewide, there have been 1,093 deaths, plus another 28 listed as probably from the illness but not confirmed. The state has averaged 1,351 new cases a day over the past week and 1,282 daily for the past 14 days. Read more.

by Glenn Stephens

Advocates Call for Environmental and Racial Justice at North Birmingham Superfund Site

WBHM The "Right to Breathe Caravan" toured several north Birmingham neighborhoods Saturday, calling for environmental and racial justice in communities that have faced decades of industrial pollution. Read more.

by Mary Scott Hodgin, WBHM

Not so Fast, COVID Says to Churches Trying to Reopen

Pastors, elders and the leadership team at Valleydale Church in north Shelby County closed to in-person worship in March because of the coronavirus but reopened June 7. Then COVID-19 surged again in Alabama, surpassing by far the number of infections the state had seen earlier in the year, and that church, along with many others, had to close again a few weeks later. Pastors, rabbis and other religious leaders across the state are watching data from the Alabama Department of Public Health, the CDC and other sources as they consider when it’s safe to reopen for their congregations. Read more.

by Candace Schilling

Court Decisions Boost Hopes of Pipeline Opponents

An Alabama clean-water advocate has applauded a federal judge’s order to shut down, at least temporarily, a section of the Dakota oil pipeline in North Dakota. Opponents of the pipeline sought the order, issued on July 7, on grounds that it threatens the Standing Rock Sioux reservation’s drinking water and sacred grounds. That and other recent court decisions have boosted the hopes of environment, public health and clean-energy advocates who seek to reduce or end the nation’s use of fossil fuels to generate energy. Even oil and gas industries say the “increasing legal uncertainty” that overhangs energy and industrial infrastructure projects will challenge their ability to contribute to U.S. energy needs. Read more.

by Hank Black